Strikes by workers at Lancashire County Council are now set to run until early November.
Adult and social care staff have been undertaking walk-outs since last year over a pay dispute.
Their latest action was due to end today (19 October) but the latest ballot has seen them down tools for a further two weeks.
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It will take the total number of days on strike to 99 as negotiations continue to fail between County Hall bosses and unions – although fresh talks are now planned.
Unison North West regional organiser, James Rupa, speaking to Blog Preston on the picket line in Pitt Street outside County Hall on Thursday said: “We are striking over essentially a grading dispute. This dates back to 2022 when the first regrade for the role went in.
“When that regrade happened then it found staff were working at a higher grade, but they [the county council] didn’t want to put them on the higher grade of pay and kept them where they were.
“We feel the evaluation system used is opaque. They wouldn’t share the details with us.”
“When we did our third ballot over the summer we had the strongest result yet, so our support is increasing.
“We have made an attempt via ACAS (the resolution service) to enter into talks again but the council didn’t take us up on that.”
Asked whether they had seen any change in approach since Reform took power in May, Rupa said; “I think it’s an important point to say Reform inherited this, they have not caused this. The previous administration, which was Conservative, didn’t get involved.
“We have had an email from the leader of the council following a question at cabinet last week from opposition leader Azhar Ali about resolving the dispute. He asked if the leader and chief exec would meet him and us to explore possible resolutions.”
Who are the people striking?
We asked Mr Rupa about the job the people on the picket line actually do.
He said: “Those on strike are social care support officers. They work in adult social care and the job they do is to carry out initial assessments of adults to see whether they need any social care, so are they able to remain independent in their own homes.
“So it is similar to a social worker and this is where the whole issue of the dispute really is that when the role was created they were a support to social workers. Now instead because of years and years of austerity and cuts society is sicker, there is more need, there’s more demands but there’s less resource.
“It’s not unique to Lancashire but unlike other areas of the country the workers in Lancashire have said they want to do something about it and they’ve organised themselves to do that. Not taking frivolous strike action but as a last resort because we couldn’t anywhere through discussion.”
What the county council say
A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: “Unison has given us notice that the strike action originally planned to end on 19th October will be extended until 2nd November.
“A meeting is planned between senior officers and the union, while the Council Leader has offered to meet union representatives as well.
“We are committed to working with both our staff and the union to reach a positive conclusion.”
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